Superchilling Storage Research Articles

Quality tracking of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fillets during superchilling storage by pretreatment with NaCl

The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of salt pretreatment (1 % and 2 %) on the physicochemical properties, sensory characteristics and safety indices of largemouth fillets during superchilling storage. During superchilling storage, the 2 % group had the lowest values of ice crystal formation temperature, thiobarbituric acid (TBA), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), and total viable counts (TVC), and the deterioration of fish quality in the 2 % group was significantly slower than that in the 1 % group (P<0.05). At the later stage of storage, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF NMR) results showed that moisture in the fish fillets showed a mixture of ice crystals and water, and TBA, TVB-N, and TVC values were significantly higher in the salt-treated group (P<0.05); the proteins interacted with unfrozen fractions to form relatively ordered structures, which promoted the intensity of protein bands. The pH of the fillets transferred from neutral to weakly acidic throughout the period of storage, and the L*, W and b* values of the 2 % group were significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of the other two groups. The results of shear force, microstructure and western blot (WB) indicated that salt pretreatment significantly improved fillet tenderness and odor. These indicated that the ideal salt pretreatment concentration and quality of the bass fillets for superchilled storage were 2 % and 21 d, respectively. This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of the preservation of aquatic products.

Analysis of quality-related proteins in golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) fillets with modified atmosphere packaging under superchilling storage

Here, we aimed to study the changes in proteome of golden pompano fillets during post-mortem storage. Tandem mass tags (TMT)-labeled quantitative proteomic strategy was applied to investigate the relationships between protein changes and quality characteristics of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) fillets during superchilling (-3 ℃) storage. Scanning electron microscopy was used to show that the muscle histology microstructure of fillets was damaged to varying degrees, and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance was used to find that the immobile water and free water in the muscle of fillets changed significantly. Total sulfhydryl content, TCA-soluble peptides and Ca2+-ATPase activity also showed that the fillet protein had a deterioration by oxidation and denaturation. The Fresh (FS), MAP, and air packaging (AP) groups were set. Total of 150 proteins were identified as differential abundant proteins (DAPs) in MAP/FS, while 209 DAPs were in AP/FS group. The KEGG pathway analysis indicated that most DAPs were involved in binding proteins and protein turnover. Correlation analysis found that 52 DAPs were correlated with quality traits. Among them, 8 highly correlated DAPs are expected to be used as potential quality markers for protein oxidation and water-holding capacity. These results provide a further understanding of the muscle deterioration mechanism of packaging golden pompano fillets during superchilling.

Tandem Mass Tag-based proteomic analysis of protein changes in superchilled crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) presoaked with carrageenan oligosaccharides

To assess the effectiveness of carrageenan oligosaccharides (COs) in enhancing superchilling storage of crayfish, the physicochemical features of muscle and protein abundance in the refrigerated sample (RS), superchilled sample (SS) and COs soaked superchilled sample (CS) were evaluated. Microstructural and SDS-PAGE analyses suggested that CS exhibited fewer pores, with a microstructure and protein subunits distribution more similar to RS. Tandem Mass Tags quantitative proteomic analysis revealed 66 up-regulated differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) in the CS vs. SS batch, including myosin light chain 2, neural cadherin, integrin beta, lectin-like protein, toll-1, reticulon-1, and moesin/ezrin/radixin homolog 1, which facilitate cells adhesion and maintain membrane/cytoskeleton integrity. Eukaryotic Clusters of Orthologous Groups results confirmed that COs treatment increased the stability of crayfish myofibrillar proteins by up-regulating DAPs, which were concentrated in functional categories such as “posttranslation modification, protein turnover, chaperones”, “signal transduction mechanisms”, “energy production and conversion”, and “cytoskeleton”.

Effect of Static Magnetic Field on the Quality of Pork during Super-Chilling Storage.

Fresh pork tenderloin was stored at -3 °C under different static magnetic fields (SMF) of 0, 4, and 10 mT (control, MF-4, and MF-10) to investigate their physicochemical properties changes during storage of 8 days. The initial equilibrium temperature of the samples stored with 4 mT MF was found to be -2.3 °C, which was slightly lower (0.3 °C) than that the control value. The super-chilling phenomenon on the pork was then observed, as the samples stored under the magnetic field did not freeze throughout storage period, but the control experienced a sudden change in temperature after 138 h and then froze. The preservation effect of MF-4 on meat quality was the best in all treatment groups. MF-4 achieved a higher water-retention rate, with drip and cook losses of 6.5% and 29.0% lower than the control, respectively. Meanwhile, the MF-4 effectively delayed the color change in the meat during the storage and the texture hardening after cooking, and effectively controlled the growth of the total volatile saline nitrogen content on the samples. In addition, MF-4 delayed the reduction in myofibrillar protein solubility, sulfhydryl content, and emulsification capacity, indicating that this field inhibited the denaturation of myofibrillar protein. This study can be considered as an application reference of magnetic fields during meat storage at a super-chilled temperature.

Preserving freshness of chevon under superchilling storage

Preserving freshness of chevon under superchilling storage

Effect of gum tragacanth–sodium alginate coatings incorporated with epigallocatechin gallate on the quality and shelf life of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) during superchilling storage

Abstract The effect of gum tragacanth (GT) and sodium alginate (SA) active coatings incorporated with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG; 0.16%, 0.32%, and 0.64%, respectively) on the quality of large yellow croaker fillets was evaluated during superchilling storage at –3 ˚C for 42 d. The results revealed that the GT-SA-EGCG active coatings delayed microbial spoilage by reducing the total viable counts of Pseudomonas spp. and psychrophile bacteria and retarded the degradation of the physical properties of water-holding capacity, cooking loss, color, odor and texture. GT-SA-EGCG coatings could also maintain fillet freshness by maintaining lower total volatile basic nitrogen, K value, and histidine content, inhibiting myofibrillar protein degradation during superchilling storage. These results suggested that the active coatings embedded with GT-SA-EGCG could be used as a preservative to enhance the quality of large yellow croaker and prolong the shelf life by 7–14 d during superchilling storage at –3 ˚C.

The Effects of Malonaldehyde on Quality Characteristics and Protein Oxidation of Coregonus peled (Coregonuspeled) during Storage.

The effects of changes in the malondialdehyde (MDA) content on the quality of fish during the low-temperature storage period are unclear. Therefore, the effects of the MDA content on Coregonus peled quality and protein changes were investigated following storage under refrigeration (4 °C) and super chilling (-3 °C) for 15 days (d). The results showed that the MDA content continued to increase during storage and that the highest content was produced at 1.42 mg/kg during refrigeration. The fillet pH, drip loss, texture (hardness and elasticity), and myofibril fragmentation index deteriorated significantly during the storage period. Increased oxidation of the myofibrillar protein (MP) was observed in the 15 d storage period, and the MP carbonyl content was 1.19 times higher under refrigeration than in super chilling, while the protein α-helix structure decreased by 12.48% and 12.20% under refrigeration and super chilling, respectively. Electropherograms also showed that myosin degradation was particularly severe in the refrigeration storage period of 15 d. Overall, the MDA formed at the refrigeration and super chilling storage temperatures could promote structural changes in, and the oxidative degradation of, proteins to different degrees, leading to the deterioration of the fillet quality. This study provides a scientific basis for investigating the relationship between fish quality and changes in the MDA content during low-temperature storage.

Effect of temperature fluctuation during superchilling storage on the microstructure and quality of raw pork

The effect of different temperature fluctuations on the microstructure and quality of pork loins during superchilling storage was investigated. Based on the dynamic monitoring of ice crystal formation and melting in pork through cryomicroscope, the changes of ice crystals in pork were observed at different temperature points, and there was no obvious phase transition in pork at −3 °C for a short period of time, but the freeze-thaw cycles were obviously found in the samples of −3 ± 3 °C and −3 ± 5 °C groups. Results of microstructure observation showed that temperature fluctuations resulted in muscle fiber fracture and the decrease of water holding capacity of superchilling pork, where stronger temperature fluctuation showed more significant changes. The temperature fluctuation groups exhibited higher thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values after 20 days of storage, and contributed to the reduction of immobilized water and the increase of free water in raw pork, and had more serious drip loss. These indicated that increased temperature fluctuation promoted lipid oxidation and drip loss of pork during storage. This study provided supports to precise temperature control in cold chain logistics of raw meat.

Effect of super-chilling storage on maintenance of quality and freshness of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas)

AbstractThe quality changes of shelled Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) were examined in relation to the effects of superchilling storage at −1 °C for 28 d by measuring changes in biochemical properties (microbial analysis, adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-related compounds, pH, free amino acids) and sensory evaluations in this study. The results indicated that microorganism growth was significantly inhibited during superchilling storage. Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) accumulated while ATP rapidly decreased in the adductor muscle. ATP and ADP were the primary components in the other 3 tissues including mantle, gill, and body trunk of oysters, and they remained ­relatively stable over time. The pH and adenylate energy charge in the adductor muscle could be utilized as freshness indicators for shelled oysters. However, there were no significant differences (P&amp;gt;0.05) among the free amino acids during whole storage. According to the sensory evaluations, oysters could be alive and tolerated up to 21 d at −1 °C storage. The study demonstrated that superchilling storage at −1 °C could better maintain the eating quality of shelled oysters and the shelf life was extended to 21 d.

Gum tragacanth-sodium alginate active coatings containing epigallocatechin gallate reduce hydrogen peroxide content and inhibit lipid and protein oxidations of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) during superchilling storage

The active coatings supplemented with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) (0.16 %, 0.32 %, and 0.64 %, respectively) combined with superchilling storage (−3 ± 0.2 °C) were used to reduce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, and inhibit lipid and protein oxidations of large yellow croaker during 42 days of superchilling storage. EGCG coatings delayed lipid and protein oxidations by inhibiting the generation of H2O2, malondialdehyde (MDA) and carbonyl groups, and maintaining a higher Ca2+-ATPase activity and sulfhydryl content. We also observed that EGCG treatments maintained myofibrillar organized secondary structure by keeping higher α-helix content, and also stabilized tertiary structure during superchilling storage. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) revealed that EGCG treatments might improve the association of water molecules with protein for fixed water. In addition, sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images both showed that these treatments could delay the myofibrillar degradation of fresh fish. Overall, we report that the active coatings containing EGCG treatments protect the lipid and protein of large yellow croaker during superchilling storage.

Effect of Grape Seed Extract Powder on Shelf Life of Superchilled Chicken Sausage

The shelf life of chicken sausage was assessed by incorporating 0.25% grape seed extract powder (GSEP) under superchilling storage and compared with chicken sausages incorporated with BHT and Control (without any antioxidant). The moisture, pH, peroxide value in GSEP treated samples increased significantly (P&lt;0.05) throughout storage period TBARS, tyrosine and peroxide levels were marginally lower in GSEP treated chicken sausages than in control and BHT treated products. Over the course of the storage period, the protein, moisture and fat content of all the treated samples dropped gradually. In addition, GSEP treated chicken sausages had the lowest total plate count and psychrophilic count, followed by BHT. The study revealed that with the combined effect of superchilling and incorporation of 0.25% GSEP, the chicken sausage could be stored conveniently under aerobic conditions up to 35 days.

Assessment of quality deviation of pork and salmon due to temperature fluctuations during superchilling.

Superchilling is an emerging technology for meat preservation; however, the temperature changes during the process have been commonly ignored. Thus, the effects of temperature fluctuations on meat quality during superchilling are yet to be evaluated. In our study, pork loins and salmon fillets were stored for several days (0, 8, 15, 23, and 30 d) under different temperature fluctuations based on -3.5 ℃ as the target temperature. The results showed that after 15 d of superchilling storage, the values of total volatile basic nitrogen, total viable count, and lipid oxidation were significantly (P<0.05) altered in the ±2.0 ℃ fluctuation group compared with the constant temperature group. On the contrary, there was no significant difference in these parameters between the ±1.0 ℃ fluctuation group and the constant temperature group after 30 d of storage. In addition, irregular temperature changes significantly accelerated the modulation of various indicators. In brief, temperature fluctuations and irregular temperature changes accelerated the destruction of muscle structural integrity, increased the water loss, gradually widened the water loss channels, and thereby reduced the edibility by accelerating the spoilage of meat.

Effects of Modified Atmosphere Packaging with Different Gas Ratios on the Quality Changes of Golden Pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) Fillets during Superchilling Storage.

The quality changes of golden pompano fillets in air packaging (AP) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) with 30% CO2/70% N2, 50% CO2/50% N2, and 70% CO2/30% N2 were evaluated under superchilling (−3 °C). The results showed that the whiteness of fillets decreased during storage. The rate of pH increase of MAP was significantly slower than in AP groups, in which MAP with 70% CO2/30% N2 effectively suppressed the PH. Interestingly, the hardness decreased on day five following the treatments, followed by a relatively stationary trend. MAP could greatly suppress the increase of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) contents of fillets compared to fillets packed in AP. All MAP groups of fillets maintained first-grade freshness throughout storage, while the AP samples decreased to second-grade freshness on about the 25th day. MAP with 70% CO2/30% N2 and MAP with 50% CO2/50% N2 had the best results in inhibiting protein degeneration and explanation. Unexpectedly, drip loss of fillets in MAP far exceeded the AP group during storage, which causes sensory discomfort. Anaerobic plate count (APC) of fillets in AP exceeded the consumption limit of 6.7 log CFU/g on day 26 (6.75 log CFU/g on the 26th day), whereas the MAP was still microbiologically acceptable after 30 days of storage (6.43, 6.41, 6.22 log CFU/g, respectively). Considering physicochemical and microbiological parameters, the shelf life of fillets packed in AP was 25 days. MAP treatments could prolong the shelf life of fillets by ~4–5 days compared to AP. Overall, MAP with 70% CO2/30% N2 gas ratio was best for inhibiting the quality deterioration of fillets. Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to evaluate the critical indicators of quality deterioration of the fillets. Two principal components were determined by dimensionality reduction, in which the contribution of the first principal component was centrifugal loss > hardness > TVB-N > APC > CO2 solubility > TBARs > drip loss > pH, which mainly reflected the degree of microbial proliferation, protein hydrolysis, and oxidation. The contribution of the second principal component was pH > TBRAs > drip loss > APC > CO2 solubility > TVB-N > hardness > centrifugal loss, indicating a high correlation between lipid oxidation and microbial proliferation index.

Effect of Gum Tragacanth-Sodium Alginate Active Coatings Incorporated With Epigallocatechin Gallate and Lysozyme on the Quality of Large Yellow Croaker at Superchilling Condition.

This research was done to investigate the synergistic interactions of the gum tragacanth (GT)–sodium alginate (SA) active coatings, incorporated with epigallocatechin gallate and lysozyme, on the quality of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) during superchilling storage at −3°C. Results showed that the GT-SA active coatings, containing epigallocatechin gallate [EGCG (E), 0.32% w/v], and lysozyme [LYS (L), 0.32% w/v] have reduced the total viable count, psychrophilic bacteria, and Pseudomonas spp. by about 1.55 log CFU/g, 0.49 log CFU/g, and 1.64 log CFU/g compared to the control at day 35. The GT-SA active coatings containing EGCG and LYS were effective in lowering the formations of off-odor compounds such as total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), malondialdehyde (MDA), and off-favor amino acid (histidine). The solid phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (SPME-GC/MS) was applied to characterize and to quantify the volatile compounds of large yellow croaker samples during superchilling storage, while the relative content of the fishy flavor compounds (including 1-octen-3-ol and acetoin) was significantly reduced in the active coatings treated samples. Furthermore, the GT-SA active coatings containing EGCG and LYS treatments was found to be more effective in retarding the migration of water based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results and in maintaining the organoleptic quality of large yellow croaker in superchilling storage at −3°C according to the sensory evaluation results. The results showed that the GT-SA active coating containing EGCG and LYS was effective to be used as a fish preservative to improve the quality and to prolong the shelf life of large yellow croaker in a superchilling storage for at least 7 days.

Effect of the super-chilling storage on the shelf life of pork and chicken

Effect of the super-chilling storage on the shelf life of pork and chicken

Evaluation of spoilage indexes and bacterial community dynamics of modified atmosphere packaged super-chilled pork loins

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is widely adopted for meats and meat products. While an effective cold chain may provide microbial safety during storage, several key spoilers, active at these conditions, can still induce spoilage. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of MAP on spoilage indexes and bacterial population of predominant spoilers in fresh pork loins at super-chilling (−2 °C) storage for 28 d. The results showed a negligible color improvement in Group A after 14 d while reduced TVB-N (13.33 vs 16.58 mg N/100 g), TBARS (1.79 vs 2.28 MDA/kg), TVC (6.5 vs 7.2 log CFU/g), and psychrotrophic bacteria count (6.1 vs 6.8 log CFU/g) were found in Group B in comparison to control group (D) at the end of storage. The abundance of Pseudomonas spp., Brochothrix spp., lactic acid bacteria, and Photobacteria spp., regarded as predominant spoilers of meat, in general, was influenced by the gas composition used in the packages. Although the abundance of specific spoilers, such as Serratia liquefaciens and Carnobacterium divergens, were reduced in Group C, significant inhibitions of Pseudomonas spp., Brochothrix spp., Serratia spp., Hafnia spp., Acinetobacter spp., Kurthia spp., and Kocuria spp. Were detected in Group B packs over time. Nevertheless, Pseudomonas spp. And Brochothrix spp. Were the abundant spoilers detected among different groups, hence, it is necessary to elucidate their adaptive mechanisms in the cold chain. Further studies into their spoilage and adaptive mechanisms are needed in order to control their proliferation in meat during storage.

Effects of Different Storage Temperatures on the Physicochemical Properties and Bacterial Community Structure of Fresh Lamb Meat.

This study was aimed to compare the physicochemical properties and bacterial community structure of tray-packaged fresh lamb meat under different storage temperatures, such as 4°C (chilling), −1.5°C (supercooling), −4°C (superchilling) and −9°C (sub-freezing). The total viable counts (TVC), total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), bacterial diversity and metabolic pathways were investigated. The results indicated that the shelf life of superchilling and sub-freezing storage was over 70 d, which was significantly longer than that of chilling and supercooling storage. TVC and TVB-N values showed an increasing trend and were correlated well (R2>0.92). And the TVB-N values of lamb meat were exceeded the tolerable limit (15 mg/100 g) only found under chilling and supercooling storage during storage period. At the genus level, Pseudomonas was the core spoilage bacteria then followed Brochothrix for chilling and supercooling storage. Pseudomonas, Ralstonia, Psychrobacter and Acinetobacter were the dominant spoilage bacteria for superchilling and sub-freezing storage. Furthermore, the bacterial community diversity of lamb meat stored at chilling and supercooling storage decreased with the storage time prolonged, which was opposite to the outcome of meat stored under superchilling and sub-freezing storage. For chilling and supercooling storage, the abundance of main metabolisms (carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid metabolism, etc.) of bacteria increased with the storage time prolonged, which was opposite to superchilling storage. This may be related to the bacteria community diversity and the formation of dominant spoilage bacteria. In conclusion, this work provides data for the preservation of fresh lamb meat which will benefit the meat industry.

Effects of super-chilling storage on shelf-life and quality indicators of Coregonus peled based on proteomics analysis

The advantages of super-chilling storage at −2 °C for maintaining the quality of Coregonus peled muscle were investigated using the rigor-mortis index (RM), ATP-related compounds, K-value, muscle hardness, impedance measurement, and total viable count. The results indicated that the softening of fish muscle and increase in K-value were substantially suppressed following storage at −2 °C compared to that at 0 °C. In particular, the hardness of fish muscle stored for 6 days at −2 °C was much higher than that of the samples stored for 2 days at 0 °C. The K-value increased to 81% after 6 days at 0 °C, while increased to 57% at −2 °C. The impedance changed in a biphasic manner throughout the storage period. The initial increase accompanied by the progression of RM was followed by a gradual decrease. However, this decrease was much slower at −2 °C than 0 °C. Furthermore, proteomics analysis demonstrated that the mechanism of fish freshness changes between the two storage temperatures. Differentially abundant proteins between the samples stored at two temperatures were mainly involved in the cellular component and molecular function (GO pathway) as well as collagen digestion (KEGG pathway), which might be related to muscle textural properties. Therefore, super-chilling storage is a possible method for maintaining the freshness of Coregonus peled.

Effects of chitosan and nano-chitosan as coating materials on the quality properties of largescale tonguesole Cynoglossus arel during superchilling storage

The present study examined the effect of chitosan (Ch) and chitosan combined with sodium tripolyphosphate (Nch) nanoparticles as coating materials for Cynoglossus arel fillets during superchilling storage. Treatments included the following: C (untreated, control samples), AC (treated with 1% glacial acetic acid, acid control), Ch (treated with 2% w/v chitosan solution, Chitosan) and Nch (treated with 2% w/v chitosan and 2% sodium tripolyphosphate, Nanochitosan). Nch and Ch coatings significantly were effective on total mesophilic counts (TMC), psychrotrophilic bacteria (PTC) and Enterobacteriaceae. Production of total volatile bases nitrogen (TVBN) and trimethylamine (TMA) for Nch and Ch samples was significantly lower than for control samples during storage. The thiobarbituric acid (TBA) and free fatty acid (FFA) exhibited an increasing trend (p<0.05), whereas the total sulfhydryl (SH) decreased (p<0.05) with increasing storage time. The results indicated that the effect of Nch and Ch on fish samples was to retain their good quality characteristics and extend the shelf life during superchilling storage. The Nch was better than ones Ch in reducing lipid oxidation of fillets and bacterial contamination.

Effects of cryoprotectants on Nostoc sphaeroides superchilled at low temperature (−3.0°C) and their action mechanisms

AbstractEffects of cryoprotectants (NaCl, sucrose and trehalose) on Nostoc sphaeroides (N. sphaeroides) superchilled at −3.0°C as well as their action mechanisms were studied. Prior to storage, N. sphaeroides were immersed into different concentrations (5% and 10%) of NaCl solutions, sucrose solutions, and trehalose solutions for 2 hr. The texture properties, drip loss and low field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)‐imaging of N. sphaeroides with different treatments were evaluated. The freezing point, solute absorption, water distribution and microscopic structure were also measured to illustrate the action mechanisms of cryoprotectants. Results suggested that cryoprotectants offered an effective method for keeping the texture properties, lowering drip loss, and maintaining the shape of N. sphaeroides. Among all the cryoprotectants used, 5% NaCl exhibited the best effect. The study of their action mechanisms showed that cryoprotectants were efficient in reducing the freezing point, the proportion of free water and microscopic structure destruction of N. sphaeroides.Practical ApplicationsConsidering the higher water content of N. sphaeroides, it is not suitable to be deeply frozen because the formation of numerous ice crystals can cause severe damages to the tissue. To suppress these undesirable changes in superchilling, cryoprotectants including NaCl, sucrose and trehalose are added to the food products. This research contributes to lay a theoretical foundation for the further study of superchilling storage of N. sphaeroides.